If your vehicle did not have a radiator, the engine would overheat all the time. Consequently, you would not be able to drive your automobile. It doesn’t matter whether you drive a car, truck, or utility vehicle, the radiator plays an important role in keeping the engine temperature normal. Let’s talk about the radiator to, hopefully, answer any questions you may have about this cooling system part.
What It Does
The radiator does two things. First, the radiator stores the coolant when it is not in circulation. Second, the radiator cools off the coolant after it has circulated through the engine. The radiator is made of metal and it is located behind the grille. If you pop the hood, you will see the radiator in the front of the engine. Aside from the radiator, coolant is also stored in the overflow reservoir.
Storing the coolant explains itself, but the radiator needs two things to reduce the coolant’s temperature. First, the radiator needs outside air, which flows through the grille and through the fins on the radiator to cool off the coolant. The other thing that the radiator uses to reduce the coolant’s temperature is a fan. You have likely heard this fan turn on while your engine is running.
When It Needs to Be Replaced
Unfortunately, the radiator will not last forever. In fact, you can expect to get about 10 years out of it provided you service the cooling system every 30,000 miles. In some cases, you may get more years out of the radiator. The minimum amount of time that a radiator lasts is about three years. What all of this means is that, eventually, you will need to replace the radiator in your vehicle’s cooling system.
The symptoms that it is time to replace the radiator include
- Constant overheating
- Leaking engine coolant
- Orange engine coolant
- Clogged radiator fins
- Damaged radiator fins
As the radiator ages, corrosion builds up inside of it because the metal is in constant contact with the coolant. This metal and liquid contact cause corrosion inside the radiator. Unfortunately, the radiator may start to leak coolant because the bottom has rusted out. This is the most common reason why a radiator needs to be replaced.
If you suspect that your radiator needs to be replaced, give us a call to schedule a service appointment. We will inspect your cooling system and replace the radiator if necessary.